I should mention, I suppose, that Max and her pentad should not be taken as representative of the entire polyamorous community. It should be obvious that not all polys are nymphomaniacs in open relationships (and not all nymphos are poly), any more than they're all vegan.

While I'd never describe myself as polyamorous, I definitely understand compersion. Sexual and romantic jealousy, to me, is an alien emotion.

This was (and is) a problem for me in regards to Christian theology and the nature of God - many of Adonai's shittier behaviour patterns are often excused, in Scripture, by appealing to the metaphor of the jealous lover. The jealous lover, to me, is just not a sympathetic character.

0192-------------------------------------

(Sunday afternoon, INT: WW and SW's apartment)

JH: I've got to say, I get polyamory in theory, but it still kinda weirds me out, how open you guys are about sex. I know I'd never be able to stand it, knowing that someone I considered my significant other was out getting loving from some other party.
MH: It all comes down to compersion, my friend.
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JH: Compersion? What's that?
WW: Compersion is the opposite of jealousy. It's a feeling of joy and satisfaction, knowing that someone you love is being loved, even if it isn't by you.
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MH: For me, compersion is a warm glowy feeling deep in my chest that I get whenever I watch Wallace blowing a dude, or Carol getting TP'ed.
JH (clearly not understanding the term): TP... for her bunghole?
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MH: Among other orifices, yes.
JH: Wow, my mental image of lesbian sex just got, like, five hundred percent less appealing.